Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a severe complication of ascites in cirrhotic patients. Under clinical experience, this condition seems to be more uncommon in Finland. The aim of this study was to measure the incidence of SBP in consecutive patients with ascites requiring hospitalization in a Finnish University Hospital.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a complication of liver cirrhosis with high mortality and low survival rates. The incidence of SBP is reported to range from 11-35% in patients with ascites requiring hospitalization. Under clinical experience, the incidence of SBP in Finland seems to be lower than reported elsewhere. Alcohol is the dominant etiologic factor of liver cirrhosis in Finland (90%), which might be a factor affecting the incidence of SBP. The aim of this study is to measure the incidence of SBP in Finland. We included consecutive patients who underwent diagnostic paracentesis for ascites in Tampere University Hospital during 2/1994 - 12/1998 and 1/2005 - 3/2007. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis was diagnosed when the ascitic fluid contained over 250 polymorphonuclear cells / mm^3 regardless of culture and with no evidence of intra-abdominal source of infection e.g. an abscess or a perforation.

Eligibility

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Diagnostic paracentesis performed during the study period

Contacts and Locations

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Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00490217

Locations

Finland

Tampere University Hospital

Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland

Sponsors and Collaborators

University of Tampere

Investigators

Principal Investigator:

Jahangir A Khan, MS

Department of Gastroenterology and Alimentary Tract Surgery, Tampere University Hospital

Study Director:

Pekka Collin, MD

Department of Gastroenterology and Alimentary Tract Surgery, Tampere University Hospital

Study Director:

Pekka Pikkarainen, MD

Department of Gastroenterology and Alimentary Tract Surgery, Tampere University Hospital